dog whistle

PRONUNCIATION:

(DOG [h]wis-uhl)

MEANING:

noun: A coded message that appears innocuous to the general public,
but that has an additional interpretation meant to appeal to the
target audience, for example, to racists.adjective: Relating to such a message.

ETYMOLOGY:

From the allusion to a dog whistle whose high-pitched sound is inaudible
to humans but can be heard by dogs. Earliest documented use: 1995.

NOTES:

An example of a dog whistle is the use of the term “family values”.
The term sounds harmless, but homophobic politicians use it to convey their
opposition to equal rights for everyone. See more examples here.

USAGE:

“In the early 1970s, ‘African American’ and ‘welfare’ were used
interchangeably and it was a well-established hallmark of dog-whistle
politics, which allowed speakers to appeal to racist beliefs without
using openly racist terms.”
Michael D’Antonio; Is Donald Trump Racist? Here’s What the Record Shows;
Fortune (New York); Jun 7, 2016.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

I know only that what is moral is what you feel good after and what is
immoral is what you feel bad after. -Ernest Hemingway, author, journalist,
Nobel laureate (21 Jul 1899-1961)